This invention relates to reloaders, and more particularly, to dies and shell or shotshell holders used in reloaders.
In one class of reloader, one or more shell holders mounted to a carriage are adapted to receive a corresponding number of casings. A plurality of tools is mounted opposite the shell holder. The reloaders for shot shells and for cartridges each have such arrangements although the shell holders and dies are different in a shot shell reloader from the shell holder and dies in a cartridge reloader. In a progressive reloader, the shells are moved from station to station while different tools operate on them to reprocess the casings for the shells and reload them. In a single stage reloader, one shell at a time is mounted in a station opposite to a tool holder to perform a loading function at that station and the shells are processed in a plurality of steps by changing tools.
In the prior art carriages for shells, the shells or cartridges are held in place on a shell plate by a retainer or a retainer spring or some other means for holding them securely during the reloading operation.
This type of shell holder has a disadvantage in that it is time consuming and difficult for the operator to remove a shell or cartridge and inspect it at any particular stage, such as for example to detect any difficulties that may have occurred or damage that may have occurred to a shell.
Dies must from time to time be removed and replaced with different dies. This can be a time consuming operation because the dies, particularly the dies for metal casing resizing, must be mounted firmly in place. In the prior art, they are generally threaded into a tool holder and held by a retainer ring that is tightened upon them. The prior art arrangements have a disadvantage because it is time consuming and tedious to change the dies.